Minister Tips on the Possibility of Premature Closure of Schools 

Just a week after the first phase of the opening of the schools on 28 September in Zimbabwe, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Ambassador Cain Mathema briefed the Parliament on Thursday that schools may be closed again if it becomes unsafe for learners and teachers.

He assured the Parliament (House of Assembly) that it was safe to open the schools on the 28. They will keep on reviewing the developments and can close any time when it is deemed unsafe.

The coronavirus is not only in Zimbabwe, it’s a new ailment all over the world. We will work according to what is on the ground as days go by, so we do the best we can.

Who knows, we might have to close schools again because of how serious it will have become. So, we will work according to what is on the ground and in terms of the PPE, you can rest assured that the government will avail. Closing schools is not something new, we have already done it before so if the situation changes, we will close them.

He acknowledged that it was prudent to wait until the virus was gone, but he lamented that such a move was unwise since it would mean waiting forever since the vaccine is yet to be found.

The government authorised the reopening regardless of the rising concerns from stakeholders including teachers on the grounds that schools were not adequately prepared to handle the deadly virus. The government insisted on necessary cautionary measures to be observed in line with WHO standards to ensure the safety of both learners and teachers.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tamblr @mygokwe